Summary

This tenement was excavated in 1977 by the National Trust, it is probably medieval in date. It is situated near to Cricket Field.

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Description

History of the Site: One of the medieval tenements of the town, built immediately to the north of the ruins now known as'Blackfriars Barn'(140326*0). When the site was conveyed by Moyses Thompsett to Thomas Edwards, clerk, the present day Blackfriars Barn was already in ruins, the cellars beneath being occupied by the house upon this neighbouring plot. The house was still standing in 1573 when conveyed by John Durrant of Winchelsea, yeoman to John Awood of Guestling, yeoman. It seems likely that the dwelling was demolished soon after: certainly by 1716 all of quarter 15 was in single ownership and no subsequent reference has been found to a house upon the plot. Following clearance of the cellars beneath Blackfriars Barn, this site was excavated by the National Trust in 1977 under the direction of John Bell using labour financed by the Manpower Services Commission. The project was conceived to investigate a flight of steps leading up to this plot from the cellars beneath 140326*0. Little or no thought appears to have been given to future publication of the results and in consequence the finds and records became dispersed. The site has never been published.
Further work was subsequently carried out by John Bell on a small well or cesspit in the south-eastern corner of the site, in this instance using labour from the military. These works have likewise never been published and as far as can be ascertained the records (if made) have been lost.


Description: The excavations revealed the foundations of a complex medieval structure incorporating five periods of development, the latest apparently representing a reconstruction dating from the 16th or 17th century. In all, five hearths were located: one being of open type serving a medieval hall. Beneath one of the hearths (within a kitchen) was discovered a major stone lined cesspit which formerly served adjacent 140326*0. Either during the 15th or 16th century a flight of steps was intruded to give access to the central cellar beneath 140326*0.
Finds from the site included a very interesting assemblage of medieval pottery recovered from scaled deposits. Much of the pottery was of imported type. The remains of three elaborate ceramic roof louvres were recovered from the fill to the cesspits. Polychrome decorated pot imported from southwestern France and found discarded near the base of an un-lined pit.
For a more detailed account of the architectural remains from the site see Appendix C at the end of this report (Martin, D. 1994).

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